Becoming a Marketing Manager

The marketing department of a company researches and identifies what consumers want and need, and then develops, prices, distributes and promotes goods and services that will attract customers. The primary task of the marketing manager is to lead the marketing department, and to utilize the resources of this department to determine the demand for products and services, analyze similar products and services offered by competitors, identify potential customers, develop a strategy for promoting the item to these target customers, and oversee campaigns that will expose the product or service to them in an appealing manner.

Education, Training & Degrees for Marketing Managers

Possession of a bachelor's degree is the minimum requirement for nearly all positions in the field of marketing. There is wide latitude in the subject area of the degree, however, depending on the particular industry and position. Personnel managers hiring for marketing departments usually prefer candidates who possess a bachelor's or master's degree in marketing, accounting, or finance. An MBA (Master of Business Administration) with a concentration in marketing is always preferable to a bachelor's degree.

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Job Responsibilities and Desired Skills for Marketing Managers

The central role of the marketing manager is to supervise the team assigned to create and execute marketing campaigns. Among the manager's other tasks are establishing a company's marketing strategy by estimating the demand for a particular product, as well as identifying potential markets, developing pricing options, tracking trends and analyzing competition. Marketing managers work in close collaboration with managers of other departments, such as product development and market research, to establish a company's marketing strategy. They also work closely with advertising and public relations managers to promote the company's product or service and to design products and ad campaigns that will appeal to target audiences.

In addition to education, an effective marketing manager should possess a wide variety of personal and professional traits, including excellent communication and social skills, as well as an understanding of psychology, in order to better determine what appeals to consumers.

Marketing Manager Salary Range and Employment Outlook

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, career opportunities in the marketing field are good and getting better. In fact, the Labor Department projects marketing as one of the occupations expected to grow faster than the average well into the next decade. Even though marketing is a fast-growing area, competition for marketing positions is expected to be keen, and an individual employed in the field might require several years of successful work experience before being qualified for a managerial position.

Figures released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the median annual salary for marketing managers varied between $65,000 and $96,000 in 2004, depending on the business or industry, the size of the company, and the level of employment.


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